From the Desk of Dr. DeBoer

 EARLY RELEASE -- October 29th, 2020   Due to Virtual Parent Teacher Conferences, school will be released at 2:00 pm. Thank you, Dr. Donavan G. DeBoer

 Pheasant Families, As we move into cold and flu season, it is even more important to screen your children before they come to school.  If your child has any illness symptoms it is better safe than sorry to keep them home.   This time of year is also when illnesses take a toll on our staff.  If it becomes a situation where we can not hire enough staff to have a successful school day, there could be a time that we use a hybrid system.  For example 7-12 could be remote, while we use the substitute teachers we have to staff the elementary school to continue traditional classes.   It is also a possibility that we may need to cancel school similar to a snow day, just because we do not have enough staff.   Please prepare for all of these situations, as you know, we are living in very unpredictable times. Dr. DeBoer

 Pheasant Families, It is imperative that you screen your students/selves prior to coming to school for illness.  If you do not feel well, use caution and stay home.  Covid-19 numbers are as high as ever in South Dakota.  The positivity rate is over 40% and we continue to have highest number of positive results daily.  Please keep yourselves healthy and your fellow classmates by staying home if you are sick. Thank you

 Attention Attention Attention!! Now that I have it, please sign up with your teachers for online/virtual PTConferences this year.  Your JH/HS students should have sign ups available, and your elementary students will be communicating with you soon for sign up times in October!!

 We have updated our Return to Learn Plan in the area of Contact Tracing....board approved the following changes. The Parker School District will use social distancing, as well as the length of time and distance of a person in contact with another individual that tests positive for Covid-19.  The CDC/DOH has stated that a close contact is determined to be within six feet of a positive individual for fifteen or more minutes. If the school district determines that an individual is a close contact, that individual will be required to quarantine for 14 days from the last exposure to the positive individual. After investigative measures for contract tracing have been completed by the district, a list of staff/students identified as close contacts, will be submitted to the Department of Health.  Close contacts will be contacted by designated school personnel and be required to quarantine. The Department of Health determines who is considered an out of school close contact and conducts ou